Meet Our Speakers

We are thrilled to have a group of talented and empowering keynote speakers and workshop presenters. Learn more about this year’s speakers, and connect with them on social media.

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Keynote Luncheon Speaker

Patricia Lovett-Reid

Former CTV News Chief Financial Commentator, certified financial planner, and best selling author.

Certified financial planner and bestselling author Patricia Lovett-Reid is a highly respected Canadian financial guru. As CTV News’ former chief financial commentator, Lovett-Reid is experienced in coaching her audience on how to save money, stretch their income, and get the biggest bang for their hard-earned bucks. Her unique and skillful ability to translate complicated and detailed personal finance strategies into frank, savvy financial advice has transformed the lives of many Canadians.

Lovett-Reid provided weekday financial updates for CTV News Channel, CP24, and regional CTV Morning Live broadcasts nationwide. She also contributed analysis on market-moving business stories to CTV National News and remains a regular guest commentator on BNN Bloomberg, CTV’s Your Morning, The Social, Newstalk 1010, and other Bell Media programs.

Lovett-Reid’s career journey is filled with admiration, inspiration, and a strong sense of determination. She began working as a bank teller right out of high school—with no formal post-secondary education, and a low glass-ceiling for women in finance, her career was unlikely to blossom beyond branch management.

However, Lovett-Reid climbed the ranks in the investment world. After a successful 30+ year career with TD Waterhouse Canada Inc., where she served as senior vice-president, she took on the role of chief financial commentator with CTV News in early 2012.

Lovett-Reid is a certified financial planner and co-author of several national bestselling books; she was awarded an honorary degree in Applied Studies from Humber College in June 2010. The Financial Planners Standards Council (FPSC) recognized Lovett-Reid with the 2009 Donald J. Johnston Award for her outstanding contribution to the profession of financial planning in Canada. In 2011, Lovett-Reid was awarded the Financial Planning Canada Fellow of Distinction, and in 2007, she received Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Award in the Trailblazers and Trendsetters Category.

Keynote Luncheon Ticket

Opening Plenary Keynote Speaker

Jenn Harper

Founder and CEO of Cheekbone Beauty Cosmetics INC.

Award-winning entrepreneur Jenn Harper is the founder and CEO of Cheekbone Beauty Cosmetics Inc., the first Indigenous-owned and – founded cosmetics company. Cheekbone aims to make a difference in the lives of Indigenous youth by supporting educational opportunities and creating a space in the beauty industry where everyone, especially Indigenous people, feels represented and seen.

Harper is an Anishinaabe woman and a Northwest Angle #33 First Nation member in Kenora, ON. Estranged from her Indigenous family for much of her life, Harper struggled to accept her Indigenous roots. However, she reconnected with them after learning about her grandmother’s experience in residential school and the generational trauma that impacted her family.

Harper gained popularity after appearing on CBC’s hit show Dragon’s Den in 2019. Since her appearance on the show, she was featured in Chatelaine’s “Woman of the Year in 2019,” Canadian Business’s “2022 New Innovator’s List,” and Entrepreneur Magazine’s “100 Women of Influence in 2022” list.

Respecting Harper’s Anishinaabe roots, Cheekbone tells the story of rich Indigenous culture without using harmful or controversial ingredients in its products. Since launching her brand, Harper has garnered an ever growing list of customers, fans, and passionate supporters who believe in her mission and love her products.

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Workshop Presenters

Colleen Hiscock

Food Scientist, Chef and Author

Colleen Hiscock says that almost everyone in Canada has eaten her food. Colleen is a 30-year career food scientist specializing in meat, poultry, and seafood processing. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from Memorial University in Biochemistry (Food Science), a Six Sigma Black Belt from Maple Leaf Foods, a certificate in haute cuisine, and an interprovincial Red Seal certification in the culinary field. She and her husband, Leslie, are proud owners of Java Jack’s Restaurant and Gallery in Rocky Harbour, NL. Colleen still consults for the food industry on healthful transformation product development and the enhancement of local food security and infrastructure.

Anna Cook

Partner, Cox & Palmer

A partner in the St. John’s office of Cox & Palmer, Cook’s solution-focused approach enables her to provide sound and practical advice and counsel to clients. They range from small business startups to large multinational and international corporations. Cook’s corporate and commercial clients also benefit from her experience in privacy law compliance and access to information requests on the Federal and Provincial levels.

Dorothy Keating

Partner, Noseworthy Chapman Chartered Professional Accountants

A partner with Noseworthy Chapman Chartered Accountants and with over twenty-five years of experience in accounting, auditing and business management, Keating provides business advisory, assurance and taxation services to a diverse group of businesses owned and operated by Newfoundland and Labradorians and international companies with subsidies in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Kayla Walters

Owner, Good Cheer Web Design

Kayla is the owner of Good Cheer Web Design, and she’s on a mission to help women business owners create beautiful, game changing WordPress websites and help them use tech to run killer businesses. She’s been designing and maintaining websites. She’s been designing and maintaining websites for over fifteen years and loves working with women who are ready to target their ideal clients, make more money and decrease stress behinds the scenes. When she isn’t glued to her laptop, she loves exploring the city with her dog, Gus.

Judit Lovas and Lesley Galgay

Lesley and Judit are co-foundes of EvenHand, an employer-driven micro-learning career platform (website and mobile application) providing personalized career and professional development content to women in the workplace and curated, action-oriented equity and inclusion support to employers.

Tim Williams

COO, Marathon Gold

A professional engineer with over 25 years of experience in mine construction and operation Williams is a Master’s graduate from Curtin University, Western Australian School of Mines and a Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. Appointed COO of Marathon in August 2020, Williams has held previous positions with Rio Alto Mining Inc., subsequently Tahoe Resources Inc., El Brocal and Marcona mines in Peru, Geita mine in Tanzania for AngloGold Ashanti, and the Leinster and McArthur River mines in Australia. Most recently, Tim served as Executive VP and COO for Rio2 Ltd.’s Fenix Gold Project in Chile.

Jennifer Bessell

CEO, NLOWE

Jennifer is the Chief Executive Officer at NLOWE. Jennifer is also the chair of the Women’s Enterprise Organizations of Canada (WEOC), a volunteer with Junior Achievement of NL, a board member with Women in Science and Engineering Newfoundland and Labrador (WISE-NL), a board member with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Avalon, and a former member of the Women Presidents Organization (WPO). Jennifer is passionate about lifelong learning and helping others achieve success in their professional endeavours. She considers coaching and mentoring a responsibility of leadership and is driven to help women and youth realize their potential and be successful in their journey as entrepreneurs.

Jess Chapman

Owner, ethree Consulting

As Principal of ethree Consulting, Jess specializes in helping organizations unlock the power of people to drive exceptional business results.

With a background in HR, organizational performance, learning and development and training in neuroscience, and over a decade of experience working in different countries, a variety of industries, and with some of the largest organizations in the world, Jess has a unique combination of skills and experience that is hard to beat.

Amy Jones

Outreach Officer, Procurement Assistance Canada

Amy Jones is an Outreach Officer with Procurement Assistance Canada, part of Public Services and Procurement Canada. She is based out of St. John’s but serves all of Atlantic Canada. Amy supports smaller and diverse businesses through the procurement process by raising awareness of how the government buys goods and services and assisting with navigating the process.

Amy holds a Bachelor and Master of Arts Degrees in Geography, a Diploma in Heritage Resources from Memorial University, and an Advanced Diploma in Coastal and Ocean Management from the Marine Institute.

Dr. Susan Murray

Leadership Specialist and adjunct professor with Memorial University of Newfoundland

Dr. Susan Murray is a leader, advisor, professor, mentor and coach. Whether she’s working with emerging or experienced individuals, entrepreneurs, senior government officials, executives in both non-profit and private sectors, or diplomats – Murray tailors a bespoke approach that helps them to create a future-focused organization with a measurable impact.